Bangladesh Shipping Agents Association polls on 4 Apr

Bangladesh Shipping Agents Association (BSAA) elections will be held on 4 April at Chattogram's Hotel Agrabad. 

Some 267 voters will elect the new leadership for the next two years (2021-23). There will be 24 directors, including 16 in the ordinary category and eight in the associate category.

According to BSAA Election Commission sources, 65 candidates have filed nomination papers for 24 posts. Of these, 44 are in the ordinary category and 21 in the associate category. 

The last day to withdraw candidature is 27 March. 

Earlier on 10 January, the Election Commission announced the election schedule. 3 March was the last day to submit nomination papers.

The two panels contesting the election have already finalised their candidates. The current director, Shahed Sarwar, is leading a panel. 

The panels were announced at a meeting at Hotel Best Western Alliance in Agrabad on 18 March.

The panel meeting of the candidates of the joint council led by Syed Mohammad Arif will be held on 22 March at Hotel Agrabad.

In their campaigns, the candidates are promising to establish equal rights for all members of the organisation by rising above individual interests. As the elected individuals will work closely with the import and export in the shipping sector, there has been a significant interest among the stakeholders regarding the election.

Tareq Kamal, chief election commissioner of the association, told The Business Standard that at the election, some 145 voters will vote for 16 directors in the ordinary category and some 122 will vote for eight posts in the associate category.

"All kinds of preparations are being made to hold the election smoothly," he added.

According to the Election Commission sources, the winning directors in the ordinary category will elect the chairman and vice-chairman of the association. The vice-chairman will also be selected by the winning directors in the associate category.

Syed Mohammad Arif, panel chief of the Joint Council, said, "If our panel is elected, we will work to ensure equal opportunities for all concerned in the shipping sector."

Shafiqul Alam Jewel, vice-chairman of the BSAA and a member of the panel of the Joint Council, said that all 24 members of their panel are experienced in the shipping sector and they are optimistic about winning the election.

Shahed Sarwar, the head of the Shahed Sarwar panel, said, "The main goal of our panel is to establish a consensus among all the members of the association and we will work to create equal opportunities for all members, not just any particular group."

In the election, Syed Mohammad Arif, Syed Iqbal Ali Shimul, Osman Gani Chowdhury, Md Azfar Ali Mamunur Rashid, SM Mahbubur Rahman, Abu Khaled Mohammad Shakil Ahsan, Captain Syed Sohail, Md Sajjadur Rahman, Muntasir Rubaiyat, ATM Shahidullah Shahid, Mohammad Asif Iftekhar Hossain, Shahidul Mostafa Chowdhury, Mohammad Ziaul Quader, Tanzil Ahmed Ruhullah, SM Enamul Haque, Wahid Alam, Khairul Alam Sujan, Mohammad Shafiqul Alam Jewel, Shamsuddin Ahmed, Riaz Uddin Khan, Nazrul Islam, and Nazmul Haque are competing in the Joint Council panel.

Mohammad Shahed Sarwar, Azim Rahim Chowdhury, Anis Ud Daula, ASM Salahuddin, Md Kamru Uz Zaman Liton, Mohammad Abdullah Zahir, Mohammad Salahuddin, Enamul Haque, Devprasad Bhattacharya, Md Ajmer Hossain Chowdhury, AKM Atiqur Rahman, M Ali Ashraf Ahmed Khan, Kapil Uddin Ahmed, Sartaj Md Imran, Md Didarul Alam Chowdhury, Mohammad Shaheen, Captain Salah Uddin Chowdhury, Mostafizur Rahman, Md Zahiruddin Jewel, Captain Muntaser Mohammad Iqbal, Mohammad Morshed Harun, Kazi Mansur Uddin, Captain Mohammad Abul Khair, and Mohammad Saiful Quader are competing in the Shahed Sarwar panel.